Jim Clark, a UCF senior lecturer, author, historian, political commentator and longtime Orlando Sentinel journalist, has died after a heart attack at his home in Orlando. He was 78.
Clark was a native of Washington, D.C., and grew up in Chevy Chase, Maryland. He moved to Orlando and began working at the Orlando Sentinel in 1976, where he held several positions over 22 years, including deputy managing editor. Later, he became publisher and editor of Orlando Magazine.
He had worked on the faculty of the University of Central Florida’s history department since 1986, teaching an American history course as recently as Thursday.
“He always was doing three things at once,” said Jane Healey, Clark’s former wife and former managing editor of the Sentinel. “He’d be on his computer, he’d be watching a football game, he’d be writing a book, plus getting ready for class the next day.”
Jeff Moore, dean of UCF’s College of Arts and Humanities, said Clark was a model faculty member.
“His depth of knowledge as a Central Florida historian was extraordinary,” Moore said in a statement. “But what truly set Jim apart was how that knowledge was rooted in his connection to people. He was a people person in every sense of the word, and that translated beautifully into his teaching.”
At UCF, his duties included classes with as many as 300 students as well as honors courses with 20 students.
“Jim could offer his class at 9 in the morning, and it would still fill because of his reputation as a teacher, somebody who really cared about the success of his students,” Brian Craig Miller, chair of the history department, said Monday.
Clark was a popular speaker across the state, said John Sacher, a history professor and former department chair.
“He was a big proponent of the idea that the university and the larger community have a connection, and you have to continue to make that connection,” Sacher said. “I think it was his passion to make sure that his teaching wasn’t just in the classroom, but it was outside.”
Clark received degrees from Lenior-Rhyne University, Stetson University and the University of Florida, where he earned a Ph.D. in history. He wrote several books about Florida history, including “A History Lover’s Guide to Florida,” “Red Pepper and Gorgeous George: Claude Pepper’s Epic Defeat in the 1950 Democratic Primary” and “Last Train South: The Flight of the Confederate Government from Richmond.”
He “had made such huge contributions, being able to share those stories and highlight what Florida is about — you know, that there is a lot of great history here, and it’s not just Disney, not just the swamps,” said Azela Santana, executive director of Orange County Regional History Center, who worked with Clark at UCF.
“He made it fun. … He made it interesting. And I think him being able to share that to a wider audience was really important,” she said.
“I don’t know that there is anybody who knew more about Florida history than Jim,” said Peter King, a friend and longtime CBS News Radio correspondent.
Clark also made television appearances as a political analyst.
“He had that unique perspective of not just having a local point of view, but a national point of view,” King said. “He really knew how to look at the big picture. I don’t think that his analysis was based on anything other than, well, here are the facts. … Make your own conclusions.”
Clark is survived by two sons, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. A memorial service is planned.